One of my new favorites...

I definitely have a lot of favorite artists and a lot of interesting choices to pick from. My list is a long one...because I DO have a ton of really great choices. 

The latest addition to my favorites list is an artist named Tari Zarka. Her work has been at Creative Genius for the past year or so and has become a new favorite among our clients. Her works have been purchased as gifts and as impulse buys. They are one of a kind and the price is right which instantly translates well for all kinds of people. It also makes it very easy to convince yourself you just NEED to have it. And lots of folks do just that!


An except from Tari's Bio:

What drives me to create is what motivates me to be the best person I can me: mood enhancement. When I create something – whether it is a piece of glass, a painting, or a smile on someone’s face – my life’s burdens are lifted. I am also driven by the knowledge that my creations enhance the moods of those who receive them.

I find inspiration everywhere – in the glorious landscape, through the face of adversity, within the cashier at a convenience store, etc. Everything and everyone offers a chance for us to learn and grow.

Ever since I started creating art in the far away corners of my family’s hosiery mill in Bucks County, I have searched to find ways to love what I do each and every day. If something from me inspires another to move toward a life of happiness then I feel that I have done my job. This is the current in my artistic evolution. 

Another artist on the list is Abbe Gold, who recently brought in some new mosaic works from her large collection of creations. These are interesting, decorative or functional and well-done. We appreciate adding more of her works to our assortment of American creations. She splits her time between Colorado and New Jersey and perhaps next time she is in NJ for a while, we'll ask her to be a guest mosaic workshop instructor. Here's a peek at some of her latest creations...

     

A new way to look at wood...

We're very lucky here at Creative Genius because we get to work with some truly high level folks who excel in their craft. Today's selection of additions come from Andy DiPietro. We already carry his hollow forms and now we've added his wall art to the mix. And folks, this artist's work is quite an assortment to view and appreciate.

We've already featured some of his hollow forms on our facebook page and today's blog entry features his wall pieces, which are fabulous and right up any collector's alley. There is a fluid quality to the wood in these pieces that is even more striking in person than any photograph could really depict. The inspiration was from sails and it is evident, especially when viewing the pieces together that this is the case.

A little glimpse of Andy's wood turning resume includes featured articles in WoodTurning Magazine, Creative Wood Magazine and the Burlington County Times. He has exhibited in shows from New Hope and Philadelphia, PA to Delaware to MN to Trenton to right here at Creative Genius in Medford, NJ. He has provided instruction at numerous workshops and wood turner events and also provided demonstrations. And his professional affiliations are listed below:

2006 – Present, Member of the American Association of Woodturners
2008 – Present, Executive Vice President, Del-Val Woodturners in NJ.
2010 – Present, Collectors of Wood Art
Member of Bucks Woodturners in Newton Pa.
Member of First State Woodturners, Delaware
Member of the Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

And Andy is no slacker by day either....by trade he is a Senior Mechanical Engineer!

I have seen a lot of engineers succeed in the arts...it must be something about attention to detail that attracts them to art forms like wood turning, pottery and photography where there is a measure of science entwined with the art medium itself.

We're happy to have the new additions from Andy and we're sure some very lucky collectors will be very happy to take these new additions home.

Fun with Glitter, Glue and Cardstock (or why Thursday morning turned into a craft project!)

Most people who know me know that I am not a crafty person. There's nothing wrong with being crafty but it just isn't how I roll :)  We tend towards fine craft in all of our class offerings, etc and I just don't have a lot of excess time with which to dabble in assorted fun projects. That being said, I took a look at my gallery window this morning and knew that a little craft project was in order.

Although I am creative and have big, life-sized ideas, I am always on a budget. So this morning, out came the glitter, glue and card stock. I had to dig through a box to find the hot glue gun-yes, we do own one here, although it doesn't get much use. I had to rummage through another box to find the glitter-my least favorite artistic substance on the planet. Why, you ask? Because I am a photographer and glitter is the arch enemy of camera equipment. Then on to the idea......hmmm....

So I came up with an Easter/Bunny theme but Creative Genius style. That means it is not over the top in terms of easter whimsy and has a slightly (and in this case, slightly is the key operative word) modern edge to it. The idea came from a line drawing of bunny ears I came across in someone's cutesy email signature. The bags someone gave me and they were colorful and color attracts attention. In fact, I got more attention for my gallery window when I put white boxes with blue and purple tulle bows on them in my window than with anything else I have done. Incredibly simple but color pops and gets noticed.

Okay, so it is a little crafty but who doesn't love little bunny ears, right? So here's to Spring/Easter...warm weather and sun would be great but for now I will settle for colorful bags and bunny ears...and now I'm off to pack away the glue and glitter...hopefully for a while....